


Moving On Isn't Letting Go

by mizmahlia



Category: Young Justice
Genre: Endgame, Gen, Young Justice - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-05 18:24:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/726419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizmahlia/pseuds/mizmahlia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you study any solid friendship, at its core you will find trust and respect. At the center of Dick and Wally's friendship, there is mutual admiration, fierce loyalty, undying trust and a deep respect for one another. After Wally sacrifices himself to help Barry and Bart save the world, Dick is left with a speedster-sized hole in his life and an overwhelming sense of pride and sadness. Unsure if he'll ever be able to rejoin the Team, Dick takes off on a journey to try and come to terms with everything that has happened and how to cope as he begins a life without his best friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving On Isn't Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the song 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica, the acoustic studio version with the symphonic orchestra specifically. The lyrics are simple and powerful and were fitting after the events of the episode 'Endgame'. 
> 
> So close no matter how far  
> Couldn't be much more from the heart  
> Forever trusting who we are  
> And nothing else matters
> 
> Never opened myself this way  
> Life is ours, we live it our way  
> All these words I don't just say  
> And nothing else matters

_"I'm not resigning, just taking a leave of absence. Besides, if you need help, Barbara is more than ready to step up." Dick glanced over at her, his chest tightening as he did so._  
  
 _"Agreed, but Dick..."_  
  
 _He cut Kaldur off, putting a hand on his friend's arm. "I need a break, Kaldur. You, me, Wally.. We.. We founded this team. Without him..." Dick didn't look at Kaldur, he couldn't, and stared past him instead._  
  
 _Kaldur huffed  quiet, resigned sigh and paused a moment. "I understand."_  
  
Dick recalled the last conversation he had with Kaldur as he zipped his duffel, purposefully looking away from his Nightwing gear hanging on his small closet door. His leave of absence from the Team and the Justice League was by no means permanent, but when asked by Tim if he was ever coming back, Dick hadn't been able to provide an answer. All he had been able to say was that he would come back, he just didn't know when. And while Tim knew Dick well enough to know not to ask any more questions, he pressed on.  
  
 _"And what if we need you, Dick? Where are you going and why are you leaving your gear behind?" Tim sat on the edge of Dick's bunk, watching his adopted older brother pack all of his civilian things, leaving no room for tactical gear._  
  
 _"Tim, hopefully you'll never have to experience something like this in order to understand why I'm going. But I need to take a step back and put myself back together. If I don't, I'm not sure I'd be any good to anyone, let alone myself." He continued transferring clothes from a rickety wooden dresser into his bag, neatly tucking things in the spaces between the bulkier items._  
  
 _"You aren't running away, are you? Because Artemis is hurting, too. So is Barry. And Bart. We're all hurting, but nobody is leaving. I don't understand why you have to." Tim stood abruptly and headed for the door. "I trust your judgement, I always have. But it doesn't mean I understand or necessarily agree."_  
  
 _Dick stopped packing and turned to look at Tim. "I'll be back, Tim. And until then, you'll be just fine. You can get along without me."_  
  
 _Tim hesitated in the doorway and turned his head slightly. "I can, but it doesn't mean I want to," he said quietly. "Drop me a line every now and again to let me know you're alright, okay?"_  
  
 _"Of course." Dick nodded and caught a hint of a smile on Tim's face as he left the room._  
  
 _"Ten bucks says Bruce will know where you are no matter how hard you try to disappear," he challenged._  
  
 _"You're on," Dick replied, shaking his head._  
  
Dick took one last look around his room, making sure he had everything. Tim had quite a knack for telling him things about himself that he didn't want to tell anyone, or even admit to himself for that matter, and that's one of the reasons he knew Tim would be okay. Ever the detective, Tim had also taken on the roll as caretaker in the few days since Wally had been ki.. since Wally had disappeared, and he had been looking after anyone and everyone who was close to Wally. It frustrated him that the one person he wanted to help and couldn't was Dick.  
  
With a determined sigh Dick threw on his black leather jacket, hefted the duffle bag off his neatly-made bed and closed the bedroom door behind him. The last few days had been difficult, to say the least, and in order not to lose sight of himself or his mission to do good, he needed to step back. He so desperately needed a break to process. To analyze. To _think_. And to grieve.  
  
The Team and the League lost a member, a mentor and a friend when Wally died. Dick felt like he'd lost a part of himself, and without it, he wasn't whole and he certainly wasn't himself. He never imagined going through life without Wally and in order to figure out how he was supposed to do that, he needed time. And distance. And though he didn't yet know whether that was going to help, one thing he did know was that he had to try. Shouldering the duffle bag he went out to the garage. Swiping his helmet from the storage shelf beside it, Dick mounted his bike and donned the helmet, revving the engine as the garage door unexpectedly opened. He whipped his head around, seeing Artemis leaning against the doorway with her hand on the control panel. With a sad, but understanding smile, she gently waved, tears shining in her eyes.  
  
Dick raised a hand and waved back, pausing for a moment to look at her, to remind himself that he needed to do this. He turned back to the now-open door, seeing the setting sun outside and he revved the engine, let off the brake and accelerated, picking up speed as he cleared the garage, then the driveway before turning the throttle hard, speeding away into the twilight.  
  
First stop? Back to where it all began.


End file.
